Actively Recruiting
Passive Heat Therapy for Lowering Systolic Blood Pressure and Improving Vascular Function in Mid-life and Older Adults
Led by University of Colorado, Boulder · Updated on 2025-04-29
150
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
287 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
This study aims to determine the effects of \~12 weeks of repeated hot water immersion ("heat therapy") vs. thermoneutral water immersion on blood pressure and vascular function in late middle-life to older (≥40 years) adults. The study also aims to determine the effects of \~12 weeks of heat therapy on fluid cognitive and cerebrovascular function.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Passive Heat Therapy for Lowering Systolic Blood Pressure and Improving Vascular Function in Mid-life and Older Adults
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Able to provide informed consent (no clinical diagnosis of dementia or related diseases AND mini mental state exam score >20).
- Willing to accept random assignment to intervention.
- Aged 40 years or older.
- Premenopausal women must not be pregnant (confirmed by urine pregnancy test).
- Casual systolic blood pressure between 115 and 159 mmHg.
- Sufficiently healthy to undergo heat stress as determined by study physicians based on medical history, physical exam, blood tests, and ECG.
- Ability to refrain from certain dietary supplements, anti-inflammatory medications, and prescription medications prior to testing and water immersion visits if required.
- Weight stable in the prior 3 months (≤ 2 kg weight change) and willing to remain weight stable during the study.
- Willing to maintain physical activity, diet, and lifestyle factors for the entire 6-month study duration.
- Free from alcohol dependence or abuse as defined by DSM-IV.
You will not qualify if you...
- Taking three or more anti-hypertensive medications.
- Systolic blood pressure 140-159 mmHg but not on anti-hypertensive medications unless approved by primary care provider.
- Regular vigorous aerobic/endurance exercise: more than 4 sessions per week over 30 minutes at workload over 10 METS.
- Body mass index (BMI) over 40 kg/m2.
- Current use of anticholinergics, alpha-blockers, or beta-blockers.
- Current use of certain prescription medications at doses that may interfere with heat stress, including nitrates, nitrites, PDE5 inhibitors, amphetamines, insulin, and thyroid medications, unless approved by study physicians.
- Orthostatic hypotension as defined by a significant drop in blood pressure upon standing.
- Active, untreated atrial fibrillation or flutter.
- Unstable cardiovascular diseases such as unstable angina or recent heart attack or stroke.
- Recent major health change within 3 months including surgery or significant infection.
- Open wounds, skin lesions, or history of skin sensitivity to prolonged water immersion or pool chemicals.
- Blood donation within the past 2 months unless willing to delay study start.
- Inability to tolerate blood draws or intravenous catheters including history of fainting during blood sampling.
AI-Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, Colorado, United States, 80309
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
V
Vienna E Brunt, PhD
CONTACT
B
Brendan W Kaiser, PhD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
SINGLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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